


And All Things A Cost

by EmrysTheMerlin



Series: Seeking [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Albus Dumbledore Bashing, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Everyone wants something from her, F/F, F/M, Female Harry Potter, Gen, Good Slytherins, Harriet Potter - Freeform, Hogwarts Seventh Year, M/M, Magically Powerful Harry Potter, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Manipulative Tom Riddle, Manipulative Voldemort (Harry Potter), She just wants to survive, So much angst, Soulmarks, but only SOME, but that's later, you all know who dies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:28:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25828945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmrysTheMerlin/pseuds/EmrysTheMerlin
Summary: Harriet has made the hardest decision of her life, sending away her soulmate Viktor Krum to keep him safe. Not that he went easily. Now on the hunt for Horcruxes with Ron and Hermione she will discover things about herself and her old mentor that she wished she never had. Bonds are tested, trust is broken and a final decision will put everyone to the test. It's true what they say nothing in life is ever free.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Luna Lovegood/Ginny Weasley, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, Viktor Krum/Harry Potter
Series: Seeking [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1860055
Comments: 9
Kudos: 225





	1. Abandoned

The students were met at Hogsmeade Station by most of the Order of the Phoenix. Sirius and Moody stood at the front of the group. Moody of course was about a subtle as a brick to the face.

“Malfoy, Potter, Granger, Weasleys step to the side.” There were murmurs as Sirius stepped up to Harriet and whispered in her ear.

“We had to abandon Headquarters, I’ll let you know more later.” She nodded. They waited to the side as the rest of the school boarded the Hogwarts Express. Blaise and Pansy paused to hug the group. Pansy was frowning.

“We’re not gonna see you again, are we?” She whispered to Harriet. Harriet gave her a tight smile and handed her the basket on her arm.

“I need you to look after Amy for me.” The red snake popped her head out of the basket and hissed.

‘ ** _I don’t want to leave!’_** Harriet brought the basket up to her face and gently tapped Amy on the nose.

‘ ** _It won’t be safe anymore. You’ll be safe with Pansy. Please don’t fight me on this.’_** Amy hissed sadly as Pansy took the basket.

“Be safe, you stupid Gryffindor Princess.” Harriet laughed as Pansy pulled her into another hug.

“Go you’re gonna miss the train you sneaky Slytherin.” Pansy hopped on the train and waved with Blaise as it pulled out of the station. Harriet did not look at anyone, but she could practically feel Moody’s blue eye boring into her. She took Sirius’s arm and he frowned but turned on the spot and they vanished. They did not reappear anywhere near Grimmauld Place. It was a small cottage that Harriet didn’t recognize. Tonks and Draco had arrived here too. Tonks grinned at Harriet.

“Welcome to my parent’s house, don’t worry you won’t be staying long.” Harriet nodded. Draco was frowning.

“Am I still staying?” He asked almost hopefully. Tonks nodded.

“You are, you’re still a minor. Once you turn seventeen you’ll have to volunteer yourself for protective custody if you want to continue with it.” She explained as the four of them headed inside. Sirius grinned hugging a woman with bouncy brown hair.

“Andy! Harriet this is my favorite cousin Andromeda.” Harriet nodded to her with a slightly forced smile then she turned to Sirius.

“Why did we have to abandon headquarters?” Sirius glanced at Draco. Harriet rolled her eyes. “He saved my life multiple times I trust him.” Sirius nodded.

“Dumbledore was secret keeper. With him gone, the Fidelius charm breaks. Anyone who knows about the place can get in and bring others.” Harriet’s face grew dark.

“Snape.” Sirius nodded.

“Yeah, Moody set up some defenses to hopefully keep him from talking about it and scare him off if he does show but better safe than sorry.” Harriet nodded as Andromeda motioned to a shoe brush on the table.

“Portkey’s leaving soon. You should take it.” They nodded. Sirius took Hedwig’s cage and Harriet tightened her hand on the handle of the trunk. Draco pulled her into a quick hug.

“Be safe you reckless idiot.” She nodded.

“You too.” She took hold of the shoe brush and she and Sirius vanished in a flash of blue light. Andromeda and Tonks frowned at Draco.

“Do you know what she’s planning?” Draco shook his head.

“No, she never told me. I just hope we can all get through this next year alive.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They wound up in the garden of the Burrow. A few others were here as well, Ron and Ginny had arrived with their parents. Sirius looked around frowning.

“Where’s Remus with Hermione?” Moody shook his head pointing at a tattered old soccer ball.

“Missed their portkey.” Harriet frowned. Ron spoke up.

“She said she wanted to say goodbye to her parents. They’re muggles, they don’t know anything that’s happened.” Moody shook his head slightly.

“It wasn’t to plan.” He grumbled. Sirius eyed Moody.

“Are you trying to accuse my husband of being a spy?” Harriet stepped between the two.

“Knock it off. The last thing we need right now is to bicker with each other.” A few of the Order Members blinked at her, looks of respect crossing their faces. She turned to Ron. “Help me with my trunk?” He nodded and grabbed one end as Harriet took Hedwig from Sirius. They made their way inside and up to the top of the Burrow, dropping Harriet’s trunk off in the twins old room as they went.

“I never got a chance to ask. Did you get it?” Harriet frowned.

“We’ll talk about it when Hermione gets here.” Ron nodded and let Pig loose in his room. Harriet let Hedwig go too. It took ten minutes for Hermione to arrive. Harriet spent that time sitting on the camp bed in Ron’s room, here for Charlie who was here for Bill’s wedding on August first. She said nothing as Ron unpacked his trunk, just sat playing absently with the chain around her neck. When Hermione arrived her eyes were slightly puffy, as though she’d been crying. Harriet sat up immediately dropping the chain.

“What happened?” Hermione scrubbed her face, pointed her wand at the door and it flashed briefly yellow. She sat down on the end of Ron’s bed.

“I did something. My parents are Muggles, they’re in so much danger now. Especially because they’re my parents. So I modified their memories.” Harriet stared at her. She kept talking as Ron wrapped an arm around her. “I told Remus I needed to say goodbye, that I needed to explain but I didn’t. Now they’re moving to Australia, and they wouldn’t recognize me if I stood in front of them.” Ron wrapped Hermione in a hug as she sobbed. Harriet stared. Ron spoke up next.

“Bill and Charlie know I’m going with you, they don’t know what we’re doing but we used a separate set of DA coins to work out a plan. No one will know I’m gone. We’re using the Ghoul in the attic to replace me, make it look like I’m ill.” Harriet stood and pulled them both into a hug.

“I’m sorry you had to do this. I wish there was another way.” They pulled her onto Ron’s bed and stayed holding each other for a moment.

“We’re with you to the end. No matter what.” Hermione said, her voice slightly clogged with tears. Ron nodded.

“Yeah now don’t keep us in suspense, did you get it.” Harriet stepped back and pulled the locket over her head. Immediately the feeling of dread that had been clinging to her like a shadow vanished.

“Bit of a complicated story I’m afraid.” And she explained what had happened in the cavern and on the Astronomy tower. She explained her revelation about Snape that he was the Half Blood Prince, a revelation she’d only had after she tried to use his own curse against him. She told them how she’d recognized the handwriting on the note inside the false Horcrux. She did not tell them about her dream of the Riddle trapped within. Somehow she felt that telling them would change things.

“I never got the full story out of Kreacher but we’ve abandoned Headquarters, I don’t know if it’s safe to summon him or not.” Ron let out a heavy breath.

“Well we’ve got some prep work to do then and we can’t miss the wedding, mum will murder all three of us.” Harriet frowned, she’d wanted to set off a quickly as possible. Hermione seemed to almost read her mind.

“You can’t leave till you’re seventeen anyway. You’ve still got the Trace, the way the ministry tracks underage magic. Everyone loses it at seventeen. Until then we should be planning and packing. We need to take only what we absolutely need.” Harriet nodded.

“And the locket?” They all stared at the innocent looking chunk of gold sitting between them.

“We should take turns. I talked to Ginny about the Diary and it only took control of her after she had it for a long time. Harriet you used it and it never took control of you, but you didn’t have it for long. We’ll take turns wearing it, we shouldn’t leave it around it wouldn’t be safe.” They nodded and Hermione picked it up and slipped it on, tucking it under her shirt. Harriet let out a breath and stood.

“I’m gonna go start packing, I’ll leave you two alone for a bit.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tom Riddle had not lied to the girl, existing as a locket alone in a cave was quite dull, at least listening to the house elf go mad was slightly amusing, but even that hadn’t been entertaining for long. Now though, things were starting to get interesting. He had not one but three new minds to explore. The first girl, the one with the lightning scar was by far his favorite. She wasn’t easy to manipulate like the boy. The boy was almost too easy to drive to anger, his insecurities like a badge on his sleeve easy to pick at. The other girl was closed off, a natural Occlumens that one. And that was boring. But the lightning girl, Harriet, was easy to read, hard to manipulate, a conundrum really. He liked a challenge.

From her thoughts he learned that the trio had fled when the Ministry fell, fled to a place that wasn’t necessarily safe but the one who made it unsafe was one Harriet would quite like to meet up with again. To fight, vengeance was something interesting to him. It could be twisted but her feelings were out of his reach though she continued to visit him in her sleep whenever she wore the locket to bed. She had such potential lingering under her skin, a power he didn’t think she had fully tapped into yet. She might even be capable of wandless magic with training or enough of a push. She’d managed it a few times in her youth, her emotions lashing out at a threat.

They were searching for a way to destroy him, all the pieces but his true self, the part that had a body, was so far removed from him now that he could not even feel its presence anymore. He couldn’t warn the other pieces even if he wanted to and he wasn’t sure he wanted to. Yes he wanted to avoid destruction, and he would do everything he could to keep it from happening to him but he had been removed for so long, so long abandoned that he had grown resentful of the other pieces of the soul he had once belonged to.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They had been camping out at Number Twelve for at least three weeks, it was hard to keep track since they only left for brief periods under the invisibility cloak. It would have been so much easier if the Minister had just pulled his head out of his ass and passed on Gryffindor’s sword to Harriet as Dumbledore had requested. Instead he had only passed on the Deluminator to Ron, the book of fairytales to Hermione and an old snitch from Harriet’s first ever Quidditch game to Harriet. It didn’t even open when she tried, all it said was ‘I open at the close’. An unhelpful and cryptic sentence that made absolutely no sense to any of them. They kept their supplies together in case the old Headquarters received an unplanned visitor and it was a good thing they did. They were all in the kitchen when the wards went off and the screeching of the specter of Albus Dumbledore shrieked his usual accusation. Glancing at each other they grabbed hands and apparated out before the door to the kitchen even opened.

It was an agreement they had all come to, though Harriet wanted to fight instead. It was smarter to run. To keep out of the Death Eaters hands for as long as they could. Kreacher, who was downright civil to them now ever since Harriet had given him Regulus’s locket, had been ordered to lie. To tell them that Harriet had never come back to the house. That no one but Mundungus, who had raided the place after the Order abandoned the house, had come back.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sirius shoved the door to the kitchen open, hoping beyond hope that she and her friends would be there. The place was still clean, as though someone had been here but only Kreacher waited in the kitchen. He swore loudly. Remus laid a hand on his shoulder.

“It was a long shot Sirius. We knew that. There was never any guarantee she would have come back here.” He tried to reassure him but Sirius still insisted that they go through the house. But there were a few things out of place, someone had been here. The door to Regulus’s room was open, for the first time since he died. Some of the more valuable things in the house were missing, but the wards on the bedrooms, to keep Mundungus out of them were still up. Phineas Nigellus’s portrait was missing. Sirius’s two way mirror was missing. He usually kept it on the mantel in the kitchen. But it was gone along with most of the silver in the house.

“Mundungus has been though. But I can’t tell if it was just him or not.” Sirius said flopping down at the table in the kitchen his head in his hands. Remus turned to Kreacher. Since he’d married Sirius he had some measure of authority over Kreacher as well.

“Have you seen Harriet or her friends?” He asked directly.

“Kreacher has seen no one since Masters left the house last.” Remus wrapped an arm around Sirius as he let out a quiet sob.


	2. An Unknown Feeling

Viktor Krum slammed down the newspaper in anger. Across the top of the paper was written in bold print, **Undesirable Number One Still At Large**. Underneath this headline was a photo of Harriet, grinning wickedly out at the reader as though sharing a secret joke only she knew. The article was aggravating, like rubbing sand into one’s eyes.

_Undesirable Number One, also know as Harriet Potter, remains at large somewhere in Britain. She is believed to be traveling with known Mudblood Hermione Granger who failed to present herself for registration. Undesirable Number One is wanted in connection to the death of Albus Dumbledore last June. It is believed that she is working with the terrorist organization calling itself the Order of the Phoenix, though the members of this organization remain in hiding. It is believed that Potter is plotting the assassination of the new Minister of Magic, Pius Thicknesse, who replaced Rufus Scrimgeour when he resigned in August. It is well known that Potter has little regard for Ministers as she has had public disagreements with the previous Minister Cornelius Fudge on multiple occasions, and is rumored to have had several encounters with Rufus Scrimgeour where she referred to his method of governing as incompetent. Potter is to be considered armed and dangerous, if sighted please contact the Auror office immediately. Potter is… continued page three column two._

Viktor took a shaking breath as he sat down at the table in his family home. It was nearing the end of December, he had not heard from Harriet since he last saw her at Dumbledore’s funeral back in June. He should never have left, but every attempt he made to get back to Britain ended up with him back home. It was infuriating, like running around in circles endlessly unable to escape the loop. He could leave the house, practice Quidditch with his team, who had begged him to come back when they’d heard he returned to Bulgaria. He could visit family nearby but he could not seem to leave no matter what he did. He had missed Fleur’s wedding, he hadn’t even heard from her since she had sent him the invitation. He had planned to go to the wedding, he had wanted to find Harriet there, beg her to leave with him. To escape before the Dark Lord could take power. But he had again found himself unable to leave, it was as though he had lost his ability to apperate to Britain entirely. Getting a portkey there these days was nearly impossible with the new administration. He had heard nothing from the Order since August. There was a knock at the door and he looked up.

“Come in.” The door was pushed open by a tall blonde with his hair pushed back. It was getting a bit long and he’d tied it back today.

“Sorry to interrupt Viktor. I was wondering if the mail had arrived.” Draco Malfoy sat down across from him. He looked more careworn than he had when Sirius had arrived with him on Viktor’s doorstep in August. He was no longer safe in Britain, with Voldemort in power and his mother having volunteered him for protective custody nearly two years ago, well it was likely he would be seen as a traitor. He would be tortured at best, sent to Azkaban. The more likely outcome was that he would be executed silently, joining the ranks of the missing. Viktor had owed him a debt and agreed to hide the boy here, out of reach of the Dark Lord. After all Draco had saved Harriet’s life and Viktor would never be able to thank him enough for that. He had offered the same to Sirius and Remus, the closest thing Harriet had to family. But Sirius had declined, choosing instead to return to search for Harriet, to find a way to stop Voldemort. Viktor wanted nothing more than to go with him.

“It has.” He pushed the newspaper across the table to the blonde who hissed in disgust at the headline.

“Piece of trash, I hate that this is the only way we can get news these days.” Draco commented shaking his head down at the photo that smiled back up at him. Viktor nodded.

“You and me both my friend.” Shaking his head again Viktor stood a coo from the corner catching his attention. Fawkes the Phoenix stood on his perch looking distinctly grey. He’d be burning again soon, to rise again from the ashes. He had no idea why the Phoenix had accompanied him back to Bulgaria. He didn’t remember why he’d come back to Bulgaria. He hadn’t wanted to. He gently stroked the bird down its wilting plumage. He turned back to the kitchen and waved his wand at the stove to get breakfast started. He absently ran a finger along the golden snitch that sat inside his right forearm. It was the last connection he had to her.

“At least you know she’s alive.” Draco commented quietly from behind the newspaper. Viktor nodded slightly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tom smiled at Harriet, back again, visiting him in her sleep. They had all taken the locket off for nearly a full day after he’d pushed the boy over the edge. It had been so easy. Just pick at the boy’s inadequacy issues. He was always comparing himself to his best friend and when one compared themselves to one heralded as the Chosen One there was bound to be a gulf of power there. He had been a bit concerned they wouldn’t put it back on after the boy left. But perhaps this would be the push that broke down the other girl’s walls, the crack he needed to get into Hermione’s head. To drive her off as well. To get Harriet alone, she would be less dangerous alone, easier to turn. She was glowering at him as he stood from his usual armchair.

“Hello again, you don’t look quite happy with me.” She was silent. This was something of a routine at this point. She would never initiate the conversation, though he could usually goad her into it eventually. He was good at manipulation after all. “I would have thought you’d be happy. One less false friend around. Is that not better?” Her eyes flashed in anger, but she kept her mouth firmly shut. He had long ago figured out that she had no control over when she visited him. Sometimes it happened, sometimes it didn’t. Of course it only happened when she wore the locket and interestingly neither of her friends visited him like this even in their sleep. They did not connect with him the way she did and that fascinated him.

“It was really just a matter of time little one. Or was he more than a friend?” Her thoughts rushed across her mind so quickly he almost didn’t catch it. Hermione sobbing as Ron left, curled up and despondent, tracing a red and gold lion on her wrist. “Oh, not to you but to her this is quite the loss. I always found the concept of Soulmates so stifling anyway.”

“Yeah well you don’t have a heart.” She growled at him. He let a small smile take over his face as he shook his head.

“But I do.” He laid one hand on his chest above his heart and the other on the glass that still separated them. It began to pound in time with her own heartbeat, a constant presence for him when she wore the locket. She slapped her hands over her ears, it was a booming echo for her, and he knew that. But he didn’t stop.

“Knock it off!” She cried out and he pulled his hand away from the glass, fixing his face into something resembling an apologetic expression.

“I’m sorry, is it difficult for you to be reminded that you are searching for a way to kill something that is just as alive as you are?” He tapped his chin in thought. “I imagine it would be difficult for you. I don’t think Dumbledore ever gave you lessons in murder.” The mention of her dead mentor was always a sore spot for her. He loved to pick at it. “Perhaps he should have. But then again he never shared with you anything more than the bare basics. Did he ever tell you that you might be capable of wandless magic?” She blinked taken off guard. He pounced on the topic.

“He had to have known, you were his little pet project after all. His little savior to groom the way he wanted you to be. But only ever for his benefit, never for yours. Have you ever tried wandless magic, it’s such a rush.” Memories flickered across her mind. A bad haircut fixed overnight, a horrible sweater shrunk to the size of a doll as a peaky birdlike woman tried to force it over her head, leaping to hide behind a trashcan only to find herself on the roof instead. He whistled lowly.

“Accidental apparition, and so young. That is impressive.” But the memories were not done. Shattering glass in the hand of a woman who very much resembled the beefy mustached man Tom now knew to be her uncle. The same woman expanding like a balloon out of control. She looked away from him, the memories cutting off. Tom shook his head.

“Horrible people your family. Truly horrible, they remind me of the orphanage. She looked back up at him, curiosity gleaming in her eyes but she was back to staunchly saying nothing. He smiled lightly. “Maybe you should try it. You were capable of it at a younger age you may still be capable of it now. The key is feeling it, the magic under your own skin. Most only use a wand, or staff if they’re pretentious, to channel magic, but a witch or wizard has magic in their vary soul. Sometimes it’s powerful enough to come out without a channel.” The glint of curiosity had grown fiercer in her eyes and he had to contain his triumph. It was true to a point. A powerful enough witch or wizard could cast magic without a channel, but it was dangerous. If left unchecked the magic could run wild, burn through the user like a collapsing star. He couldn’t wait to see if she tried, or what would happen if it went wrong.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harriet waited until the next time Hermione took up wearing the Horcrux to try. She didn’t trust herself when she wore it. She sat in the entrance of the tent on watch but glancing back at Hermione she saw that the other girl was buried in her copy of Beetle and the Bard. She set down her wand within easy reach and pulled the spare from her boot. She didn’t like the spare wand, and she wasn’t really sure why she had kept it. But Sirius had said it was a good idea to have a spare in case things went wrong. The wand had once belonged to Theodore Nott, Dumbledore’s would be assassin. She had disarmed him as he fled. He’d had Dumbledore’s wand too but that had been taken from her. She hadn’t tried working with this one yet. Her Phoenix feather wand was so much more familiar it felt like an insult to work with this one instead. She set it down beside hers, well within reach and focused. In all honesty she had no idea what she was doing. She’d never heard of real wandless magic before not just accidental magic of a child. But then again she hadn’t heard of repeated accidental magic once one had their wand.

She supposed she could ask Hermione about it. But talking these days was so hard. Without Ron they seemed to have lost some vital part of themselves. Hermione had lost the ear willing to listen to her work out theories aloud even if he didn’t really understand what she meant. Harriet asked too many questions, it frustrated her. Harriet had lost the laughter, Ron had been the cheer of the group before the locket got its hooks in him. She pushed the thought aside and focused. Nothing happened. She frowned. This was stupid. She shouldn’t be listening to the piece of Voldemort in the locket anyway. But maybe. She glanced back inside the tent. Hermione was still buried in her book. She turned back to the forest and took a deep breath focusing for the feeling of magic under her skin. It felt like the air before a lightning storm. She opened her eyes focusing on her palm.

“Incendio.” She whispered it and blinked as a tiny flame flared in her hand. It was absolutely miniscule but it was there. But a second later Hermione shifted behind her and Harriet lost her concentration and the flame caught on her hand. She swore loudly quickly slapping out the small flame on the ground and nursing her now burned palm.

“You alright?” Hermione called out, her voice hoarse from disuse.

“Fine, just burned myself.” Harriet called back. She tucked her spare wand back into her book and picked up her wand in her left hand as Hermione approached with the bottle of Dittany. She poured a few drops on the wound and it was all but gone. Harriet nodded. “Thanks.” Hermione nodded and silently disappeared into her room of the tent. It was the same one they had used at the World Cup what felt like a lifetime ago. Harriet quickly squashed that train of thought she did not need to be thinking about Viktor right now. He was safe, far away from her. It was for the best, no matter that she’d had to break wizarding law to achieve it. He was safe, that was what mattered.


	3. Problem Revealed

Draco Malfoy had always been interested in the healing arts. Even before his soul mark appeared on his leg. It was a Caduceus, a traditional symbol of healers and even muggle doctors. Over the past few years he’d been allowed to explore this interest more thoroughly and he was flourishing because of it. But he’d been presented with an interesting problem. Viktor had approached him the week before Christmas. He had by all appearances lost the ability to apparate but only to Britain. They’d tested it, he could apparate to France, Spain, it made no sense that he could not apparate to anywhere in Britain. There was no barrier stopping wizards from entering or leaving, they had checked with a friend of Viktor’s father who was a member of the Bulgarian Ministry. So perhaps, Draco reasoned, the problem wasn’t physical but rather mental.

“That makes no sense, the only thing I want to do is get back to her.” Draco nodded at Viktor tapping his wand against his thigh in thought.

“I understand that Viktor. I’m thinking it might be a deeper problem. There’s a spell to help reveal mental blocks, if you’ll let me.” Viktor nodded. Draco raised his wand and swirled it in a complex motion. A bright blue light passed through Viktor’s head and came out the other side in the shape of his brain. Draco smiled then frowned. There was a thin film over the projected image, an orange film. He blinked that could mean only one thing.

“Viktor I don’t know how to break this to you.” He said calmly and Viktor frowned. “You’re under the Imperious Curse.” The seeker’s eyes went wide.

“How? Who?” He shook his head, the image of his brain blurring and vanishing. “I do not understand. I have been under the Imperious curse before. In the maze, Barty Crouch Junior. He made me attack the other champions, except Harriet. He wanted her way clear. But I know what being controlled feels like and this is not it.” Draco nodded.

“That’s true. It’s not control. The interesting thing that a lot of people don’t realize about the Imperious curse is that it can be used in a few ways. My father made me learn this when I was younger. Direct control is the most popular, the easiest to achieve, pretty easy to maintain too. That’s what Crouch did to you.” Viktor nodded. Draco leaned back slightly in his chair. “This isn’t that. This is…” He paused forming his thoughts into words.

“This is an imbedded command. Like hypnotic suggestion. It’s more difficult to achieve. The caster has to have their whole will behind this kind of Imperious. They have to want you to do something with every fiber of their being. It’s almost impossible to do for most people. It’s hard for a person to really want something with everything they have.” Viktor ran his hands through his hair.

“Can you break it?” Draco shook his head.

“No. With this kind of Imperious there’s only a few ways to break it. The task or command they set you is complete, the caster dies, or you die.” Viktor shook his head, hands still buried in his hair. “But we might be able to figure out what they want you to do. See if it’s dangerous.” Viktor looked up at him and nodded. They spent the next week in the Krum family library digging through old books some so old they had to be handled with gloves on lest the pages disintegrate. The day of Christmas they found a spell to reveal intention when combined with the spell to look in on the mental blocks they should be able to see the command, or at least the intention of Viktor’s curse. Draco wanted to wait but Viktor insisted they do the spell that day. It was difficult but someone must have been looking out for them because it worked. Draco frowned looking down at the projection of Viktor’s mind as the orange film swirled and resolved into words.

‘Go home. Stay safe.’ Draco frowned. But Viktor jerked in pain and the image of his mind blurred and vanished. He gasped eyes going wide as the snitch on his arm visibly rippled. Draco’s heart plummeted. When a soul mark rippled it meant that one of the pair was in mortal danger. Viktor let out a cry of fear as the image did not immediately resolve. It took almost twenty minutes to still back into the gleaming snitch. Viktor sobbed though if it was in relief or frustration Draco had no idea. He knew that the only thing the Bulgarian wanted was to go find Harriet, to protect her from the dark cloud that had settled over Britain.

Draco would be the first to admit that he wasn’t the best when it came to emotions. Being raised under his father’s thumb had a large amount to do with that. But he went on instinct now and pulled his friend into a hug. Viktor returned it sobbing into his shoulder with fear and relief that whatever had happened Harriet had escaped. As long as that snitch still gleamed gold there was hope.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tom was angry. The child was proving to be harder to kill than a full grown dragon. Even when she was caught, bound by the serpent that shared a piece of Voldemort’s soul she still managed to escape, though not unscathed. It had bitten her, but held back its venom. It hadn’t meant to kill her, the main piece, Voldemort himself wanted to be the one to do it. But his anger burned her, a physical thing, Hermione had to sever him from her with a spell, leaving behind a scar that even dittany could not heal completely. The girl lived, having slipped out of Voldemort’s grasp by only inches this time. He was getting tired biding his time.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus Snape had never liked Harriet Potter. She was too much like her father, with a wit like the cracking of a whip and the talent for trouble that had made both Potter’s infamous around Hogwarts. He had resented her for living when Lily died, for being the thing Lily died for. But he kept his unspoken promise to Lily’s memory, that he would defend her daughter. But that didn’t mean he had to like her. Granger though, well he was glad she was a good planner and had stuffed away Phineas Nigelus’s portrait while they were hiding out at Number Twelve. If she hadn’t he might never have learned where they were to give them the sword. The pool was well frozen over when he levitated it down into the water and refroze the ice. Now how to lure her out. He hadn’t found her yet, their camp was well hidden. It would be with Granger there, she was the clever one after all. But Harriet, she was impulsive, instinctual. He raised his wand.

“Expecto Patronum.” The silver doe blossomed from the tip of his wand. He had always marveled at the usefulness of a Patronus charm. They were of course the only way to defend against Dementors. But they could also be used to carry messages, to find people and they were nigh impossible to track. “Find her, lead her back here.” The doe bowed its head slightly and galloped off into the forest. It took about ten minutes before the doe reappeared, leading a girl he only sort of recognized. She was thin, like she had been when she lived with her Muggle relatives. There was a wild look about her. The kind that often came with living rough for at least three months. She was wrapped in several sweaters he recognized as products of Molly Weasley. She had a wand in her hand that was just slightly too short to be her own. Her hair was a mess, pulled back into a ponytail full of snarls and tangles. He would bet that she hadn’t had a proper meal or shower in a while. Her skin was just this side of sunburned and there were dark circles stained under her eyes. But he stayed concealed as the doe lead her out onto the lake then vanished. Once he knew she had spotted the sword under the ice, once she had shattered it, he retreated. He had done his part the rest was up to her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Fear spiked through Tom Riddle when he sensed the magical presence. It was an old artifact. Reaching out to Harriet’s mind, just lightly skimming the surface he realized what it was as the cold enveloped him. He could not let her get that sword. If she did she won. So he tightened the chain around her neck. Foolish child had forgotten he was still around her neck. It wasn’t how he’d wanted it to go. He’d wanted to corrupt her, to blacken her soul like his and present her, twisted and broken to his main self. To prove that he was worthy of more than a dank cave full of the animated dead. But killing her here, strangling the life out of her while she drowned under icy waters would work if it kept him from destruction. But he had underestimated them, fatality so he realized far too late as the red haired boy swung the sword at him. His brief moment of freedom, granted him by Harriet when she opened the locket with a hissed word, was gone as the sword struck deep shattering the locket and Tom felt himself unmade.


	4. Shattered

Harriet couldn’t be happier that Ron had returned. Hermione was a bit slower to forgive but with the destruction of the locket their whole mood was lifted. Ron explained what had happened when he left, how he’d tried to return immediately but been caught by a gang of Snatchers. He gave Harriet the Blackthorn wand he’d grabbed as a spare. She’d been using Nott’s wand since hers was accidently broken but it was now put back into her boot. It worked better than the Blackthorn but it felt like such a betrayal using the wand that was meant to kill Dumbledore even now when she wasn’t sure if she had really known her mentor at all. Harriet stopped having dreams about the young adult Tom Riddle and they began to discuss how to go about finding the last three Horcruxes. They only knew what two of the remaining three were. Hufflepuff’s cup and Nagini. Obviously Nagini would be very difficult to get ahold of without confronting Voldemort himself so they wanted to deal with that one last as going after her would lay their plan bare for Him to see. The cup was a bit of a sticking point. There was no way to tell where that one would be. It was unlikely to be in Little Hangleton, since the ring had been hidden in the ruins of the Gaunt Shack.

They debated places that might have meant something to Helga Hufflepuff. But they kept coming back around to Hogwarts as Hufflepuff had resided there from the founding to the end of her days.

The visit to Xenophilious Lovegood was less than helpful and almost got them caught again. Though the concept of the Deathly Hallows was interesting It would be a conundrum for another day. Of course then they slipped, or rather Harriet did. A simple slip of Voldemort’s name and they were caught. In the basement of Malfoy Manor they found Luna and Olivander, Dean had been brought in with them. Harriet pulled the two way mirror out of the pouch around her neck and blinked when she was face to face with what appeared to be Albus Dumbledore.

“Help us! We’re in the dungeon of Malfoy Manor!” The face vanished and she swore. Then she remembered her boot. They hadn’t checked there. Why check, they’d taken the Blackthorn from her, and who carried two wands? Harriet nearly ripped her pant leg in her haste to pull it up. She let out a choked sob as her hand made contact with Nott’s wand. But as she pulled it from her boot there was a loud crack and Dobby the house elf arrived.

Getting out after that was a blur, Dobby took Luna, Dean and Olivander and promised to return for them. She and Ron ambushed Wormtail and stared in horror as the silver hand Voldemort had given him strangled him for the mercy he showed in releasing Harriet. They escaped with Hermione, Griphook, the sword and Dobby who took great pleasure in dropping a chandelier on Bellatrix. But the escape was narrow, the knife buried in Dobby’s chest the cost of their freedom. But they now knew that one of the final three Horcruxes resided in Gringotts bank.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Bill Weasley had not been expecting visitors. The last one he’d had was Ron, who had vanished almost three months ago without a word. He could only hope he’d received some kind of message and gone back to Harriet and Hermione wherever they were. He had never spoken about what they were doing or why he left, or where the trio had disappeared to when the ministry fell. Ron knew the location of Shell Cottage because Bill had pulled him aside during the wedding reception and told him that if the trio needed a place they were always welcome.

It seemed that they were finally taking him up on that offer when a house elf arrived just outside the boundary of the Fedalius charm with Ginny’s girlfriend Luna, Olivander the wand maker and Dean Thomas a fellow Gryffindor in the same year as the trio. Bill is quick to get them inside the bounds of the spell, safe from the outside world. The elf disappeared and soon Ron arrived, cradling a near unconscious Hermione. Harriet arrived outside the bounds of the spell, holding an injured goblin and a dying house elf. As visitors went these were a bit on the odd side.

But Bill was his mother’s son, never one to turn away those in need. After their initial arrival he insisted the guests make use of the bathroom and helped Fleur make a meal large enough to feed an army. It had to have been ages since any of them had a decent shower, he was glad for the charms that kept the water hot for hours. He didn’t comment when Ron was the one to help Hermione in and out of the bathroom, she needed it, shaking like a leaf from the aftereffects of the torture she had clearly been through. Harriet is grieving for the elf she had buried just beyond the garden but her grief took the form of a kind of determination. Whatever mission Dumbledore had set her was not over. Luna and Dean insisted on helping out over then next month that they were staying at Shell Cottage. Neither had wands anymore, taken from them when they were captured but the helped anyway.

He had no idea what the trio was planning. They left Olivander alone after their first talk with him and Bill knew they were planning something with Griphook. He didn’t know what, none of them were willing to share the information and he refused to push. Fleur wanted to ask about Viktor but refrained when she walked in on Harriet absently tracing the snitch on her arm with tears in her eyes that even she hadn’t known were there. It was still bright gold. Viktor was alive, but she could not go to him. Not while she still had a mission, not while He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named still posed a threat to anyone. It just wasn’t in her nature to leave anyone behind. Fleur knew that. Dean, Luna and Olivander left first, off to Auntie Murial’s since she had more room. The trio left a week later off on whatever mad quest they were set. They had insisted that they not be seen off and Bill couldn’t help but wonder why that was. Listening to the Wizarding Wireless that afternoon he found his answer when the usual report on Potter Watch was interrupted but Remus, who they’d codenamed Romulus, apparently appearing in the studio laughing his head off as he explained that the golden trio had broken into Gringotts bank and by all appearances escaped on a stolen dragon the Goblins had been keeping under the bank to protect the treasures there. Bill laid his head down on the table and laughed for the first time in weeks. Ron and his friends were complete idiots and it was brilliant.


	5. The Burned Snitch

“It would seem that the easiest work around would be to have someone else take you to Britain. I’m not sure side along would work, too much risk for splinching.” Draco said flipping through a book as he talked to Viktor. The seeker frowned.

“Getting a portkey would be nearly impossible.” Draco nodded.

“You have to admit she’s kind of brilliant.” He commented and Viktor shot him a long suffering look. Draco shrugged. “All I’m saying is that the order was specifically vague enough to keep you out of direct danger from You-Know-Who. Can you imagine how quickly she’d turn herself in if you ever got caught?” Viktor shuddered, not at the thought of the torture he would no doubt endure if he was captured by Voldemort if the dark wizard ever realized what he was to Harriet, but at the thought of her handing herself over to save him. Draco shook his head. “I don’t think a broom would cut it, you’d just apparate out. Muggle transport is well out, can’t have anyone seeing you apparate without meaning to, and again splinching.” He let out a gasp and thrust his hand into his pocket. He came out with a coin. It looked like a galleon but it was burning hot in Draco’s fingers as the numbers that would normally indicate the serial number of the coin shifted into letters.

‘Hogwarts fighting back. Go directly into Hogs Head.’ He gasped out a laugh as he looked up from the coin.

“They’re fighting back.” Viktor leapt from his chair and raced to Draco’s side reading the coin. He was shaking.

“There has to be a way for me to help, to get there.” Draco shook his head.

“We don’t have time to figure it out. But there is a way you can help. Charlie Weasley, he’s in the Order, in Romania, at the dragon preserve. I don’t know how to let the Order know what’s going on. Maybe the rest of the DA does but someone should let him know. I have to go.” Viktor nodded though he deeply wanted to grab hold of Draco and go with him something told him that it wouldn’t work.

“Go. Keep her safe for me until I can get there.” Draco nodded setting down the book with trembling hands and turning on the spot, vanishing. It would take a few stops to get to Hogsmeade from Bulgaria. Apparition was a good way of traveling, could take wizards thousands of miles at a time but there was a limit. Viktor steeled himself and apparated out of his house. He reappeared outside a large gate. A guard called down to him in Romanian.

“ _Who goes there! This is a protected preserve state your business or leave!”_ Viktor had never been more glad that his mother had insisted on him learning multiple languages.

_“I am Viktor Krum, I need to see Charlie Weasley. It’s a matter of life and death!”_ The guard startled but the gate opened and he was beckoned inside.

“ _Charlie is on rounds, he’ll be back in a minute what’s going on? Is this about what’s going on back in Britain?”_ Viktor nodded.

“ _I need to see him now!”_ The guard shook his head.

“ _He’s checking up on the nesting mothers. I can’t let you in there. You would be torn apart.”_ Viktor frowned.

“ _I’ve faced dragon’s before. This is life and death!”_

“ _And it’ll be your death if I let you in there! You’ll have to wait a minute. I’m sorry there’s nothing I can do.”_ Every second that passed was like torture as one minute turned into twenty then half an hour. He was starting to wonder if Charlie had been killed by a dragon when a vaguely familiar redhead came racing into the room. He had seen him from a distance a few times but the Weasley resemblance was, as always quite strong. He was overly freckled, too much sun, and had the bright red hair everyone in his family possessed.

“ _Sorry one of the mother’s had an early hatching. Couldn’t be helped, what’s going on?”_ He asked as he pulled off charred gloves.

“Hogwarts is fighting back.” Viktor said in English. Charlies breath stuttered. “The call went out to Dumbledore’s Army a little more than half an hour ago. It said to go straight to the Hogs Head. I don’t know what that means. Draco was staying with me. He got the call.” Charlie was shaking as Viktor finished his sentence and melodious cry filled the tent Viktor had been told to wait in. In a flash of fire Fawkes was there, landing on Viktor’s shoulder.

“We need to get the word out to the order.” But no sooner had the words left his mouth then a silver fox scampered into the tent and spoke in the voice of Fleur Delacour-Weasley.

“Hogwarts is fighting back. Gather at Hogsmeade station. Bring everyone you can, He is here.” The fox dissolved and Charlie’s expression hardened.

“How do we get there as quick as possible?” He asked his voice shaking with worry. Fawkes warbled and took flight, hovering between the two men, seeming to offer a leg to each. The guard from the gate spoke in broken English.

“Phoenix could take both of you. Amazing birds they are.” Hope blossomed in Viktor’s chest as he and Charlie reached out and each took a talon in a gentle grip. It was a bit like travelling through the Floo, warm and surrounded by fire but this fire was red and golden and so comforting. They arrived just as the crescent moon vanished over the horizon. It would be dawn soon. They were not alone either. Quite a large crowd was gathered there, headed by Mad Eye Moody and Horace Slughorn. But no sooner had his feet touched the ground when a sickening pain lanced through Viktor’s arm. He screamed unable to silence himself as the golden snitch on his arm blackened as though burned. It was a howl of sorrow and loss as the compulsion to return to Bulgaria vanished. Moody seized his arm his one normal eye going wide as both of them fixed on the blackened snitch.

Harriet was dead. Viktor felt as though someone had pulled his very heart from his chest. He had been so close. If only he’d thought of Fawkes before then, if only he’d tried to come with Draco, maybe he would have been able to save her. He didn’t even realize he was still whimpering in pain and loss until something miraculous happened. The burned snitch on his arm rippled as it had when she was in mortal peril and then the blackened image shimmered. The filigree wings filled themselves back in chasing off the burned skin, the body of the tiny golden ball shimmered back into place and the pain vanished. Moody and the people around him stared at his arm.

“That’s not possible.” Moody said sounding dumbfounded for the first time since Viktor had met him. It was Charlie who called their attention back to the present situation.

“We can worry about that later we need to get to the castle.” Viktor was a bit concerned about it now. He had never heard of a soul mark burning and coming back. When it burned it meant that the other half was dead, never coming back. He was still shaking as the large group of wizards and witches made their way towards the castle. Before they could reach it though a high cold voice echoed through the darkness stopping them in their tracks.

“Harriet Potter is dead! She was killed as she ran away, trying to save herself while you lay down your lives for her. We bring you her body as proof that your hero is gone.” There was a relish in Voldemort’s voice that made Viktor sick to his stomach. He pushed his way to the front of the group which still wasn’t moving.

“The battle is won. You have lost half your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you and The-Girl-Who-Lived is dead. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist will be slaughtered; man, woman or child, along with every member of their family.” Viktor was hardly listening anymore as he kept running, the high voice unable to hold him as it seemed to hold everyone else. He had to know, had to see for himself. She couldn’t be dead, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if she died.

“Come out of the castle now, kneel before me and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together.” The voice echoed as it stopped. Viktor kept running, his feet pounding down the well beaten path towards the castle. He could hear the crowd behind him finally starting to move again as he raced through the broken gates and onto the grounds of Hogwarts. A great crowd of black clad people lay before him, crowding around the entrance of the castle. He slowed as he the crowd between him and the castle came to a stop and screams echoed from the open front doors. Cries of disbelief and horror. People were calling out her name in despair, then crying challenges at Voldemort who seemed unable to silence the crowd for long. As the rest of the backup caught up to him a giant came around the side of the castle sending Voldemort’s giants into a frenzy of rage. The Death Eaters scattered and Viktor dove into the fray desperate to find Harriet. Hagrid’s voice caught his attention.

“Harriet! Where’s Harriet!” But the crowd was forced inside the castle before that question could be answered. Viktor joined forces with Ron bringing down Fenrir Greyback with a combined spell. Ron grabbed his shoulder and pulled him into a short lived hug, glad to see him but there were tears staining the red head’s face. It wasn’t until she ripped the cloak off in the center of the Great Hall that Viktor realized he’d been crying the whole time, silent tears tracking their way down his face without his knowledge.

They circled each other, Harriet and Voldemort eyes fixed on each other, red into green as she spoke. The words didn’t really reach him he was being held back by a hand on either shoulder. He looked up and saw Hermione with her hand on his left shoulder, Ron with his on the right. Ron was also holding back Sirius who looked injured but desperate to get to his goddaughter as she and Voldemort continued their deadly dance.

“I did what my mother did. They’re protected from you. You don’t learn from your mistakes do you Riddle?” She was teasing a snake, nearly literally as she kept talking and they kept circling.

“I have the Elder Wand now child! There is nothing that can stand in my way!” She laughed at his words and he hissed in anger.

“You’ve mastered that wand, and you never will. You see, I’ve learned some things about wands, things you should have known. It never belonged to Severus Snape.”

“Snape killed Dumbledore.” She cut him off.

“Because he asked him to. Snape never beat him because they agreed that Snape would kill him months before it happened. He wasn’t the one to disarm Dumbledore before he died. Theodore Nott was. And I disarmed Nott as he fled Hogwarts. The wand was never really worked for you because it’s been mine the whole time.” There was no more to say after that. As sunlight broke over the enchanted ceiling both combatants struck.

“Avada Kedavra!”

“Expeliarmus!” Viktor heard a sound of sheer incredulity rip itself from Sirius as the blasts met each other in the center of the room golden fire erupting there as the green light reflected back at its caster and the wand in a pale spiderlike hand flew free from his grip. Red eyes dulled as he fell to the floor, struck down by his own spell. Harriet caught the wand with the ease of a well trained seeker. Silence reigned for a moment and Viktor tore himself free from Ron and Hermione and raced to Harriet not caring that the entire hall was watching them. He scooped her up in his arms and kissed her. She wrapped both arms around him as the cheering started the room going from dead silence to deafening noise in an instant. He pulled back looking down at her. There were tears in her eyes.

“Never do that to me again little lioness.” He muttered against her mouth. She laughed loud and clear and only slightly obscured by the tears of relief in her eyes.

“I needed you safe.” He shook his head and silenced her with another kiss as the crowd around them swarmed up to them practically picking them both up with their enthusiasm. He did not release her, he was never going to again. But she didn’t seem to mind leaning into his embrace as though completely drained.


	6. Seeking

They had incurred heavy losses. Tonks and Fred were dead. Remus had lost an eye. Sirius had lost a hand. Lavender Brown had been savaged by Greyback and died shortly after the battle ended. Blaise had been blinded entirely by a curse from Bellatrix. Colin Creevey was one of the fallen, along with fifty others, all students from various houses. It was hard to face, Sirius leaned on Remus, thankful that they were alive to celebrate the end of the madness. Looking around he frowned.

“Where’d Harriet wind up?” Remus shrugged, grimacing as he poked gently at the scar over where his right eye had been. Luna Lovegood slipped into the seat next to Sirius a small smile on her face.

“She slipped off with Ron, Hermione and Viktor. I think she wanted some alone time.” It made sense that she would want to get away from the masses who all wanted her to be part of their happiness and grief in equal measure but Sirius couldn’t help but be worried. Healers from St. Mungo’s had arrived to assist in the aftermath of the battle not too long ago and Sirius was now sporting a new hand, magically crafted. It looked like a real one but it would take some getting used to. Remus had declined a replacement eye for the moment unsure how it would affect his wolf. They would see come the next full moon and work out how to deal with it after that. They had all the time in the world after all with Voldemort gone. Sirius stood guiding Remus to his feet. They walked slowly through the halls of Hogwarts, holding hands, partly to help Remus walk as he was not used to the distortion in depth perception that came with the loss of an eye, and partially to reassure each other that they were in fact there. After consulting a few portraits they found themselves at the broken gargoyle that had once sat in front of the headmaster’s office. They went up the moving staircase hoping that Harriet would be inside. The room was empty though save for the portraits of the old headmasters and headmistresses. Only Dumbledore’s was awake though and he smiled at the two.

“I am glad you both survived. I’m afraid Harriet has gone up to Gryffindor tower to get some well deserved rest.” Remus nodded but Sirius had spotted a note on the desk in front of the Pensive. It was in Harriet’s handwriting and there were splotches of tears on the paper, barely dried. He frowned stepping forward and picking up the note.

‘Watch the memories, you’ll understand why I did what I did. Tell Viktor I’m sorry.’ He blinked at the note, reading it aloud for Remus’s benefit. Remus shook his head.

“What does that even mean?” Sirius frowned.

“She mentioned Horcruxes. When they faced off she talked about Horcruxes, you don’t think he…” Sirius trailed off and Dumbledore cleared his throat.

“I can assure you the Horcruxes are gone, all seven of them.” Remus stumbled in surprise.

“Seven.” But Sirius had realized something.

“You sent her after them! That was the mission you left her.” Dumbledore had grown a bit stoic but he nodded. “You bastard!” The portrait blinked at him. “You had an entire organization behind you that would have laid their lives down to find those Horcruxes and you sent three children instead!” He was practically snarling. Remus tightened his hand on his soulmate’s remaining hand. Sirius did not shake him off but neither did he calm down.

“I assure you I knew them to be capable of the…”

“They are children!” Sirius was shouting now, shaking with rage. “She may be seventeen but she is a child! And you sent her out to fend for herself and hunt down dangerous artifacts!” Dumbledore shook his head.

“You do not understand Sirius.” Sirius snarled.

“How about I find out then!” He dunked his hand into the Pensive before anyone could stop him. He dragged Remus into the memories with him. When they emerged they were both shaking. This time it was Remus who turned to the portrait.

“You complete ass! You knew the whole time!” Dumbledore shook his head.

“No not the whole time. Not until Riddle’s diary. I began to suspect the connection early but the diary confirmed it.” Remus was shaking in rage.

“She trusted you. She trusted you and you were waiting for the right moment to hand her over to her own death.” The other portraits had woken at this point and were glowering at Dumbledore.

“I assure you she knew exactly what she was doing when she walked into that forest.” Sirius snarled. But Remus pulled him back.

“We need to find her, make sure she’s ok.” A new voice piped up. They hadn’t noticed a new portrait magically appearing, since it had likely happened when they were in the pensive it wasn’t that big of a surprise.

“I believe she and her friends returned to Gryffindor tower.” They turned to face the portrait of Severus Snape who glowered at them. “Whatever gets you out of this office, I’m sick of the shouting.” Remus nodded at the ex headmaster and took Sirius’s hand. They left the office, Sirius shooting a middle finger at Dumbledore as they went. Severus’s portrait shook his head at the older man. “It really wasn’t that good of a plan.” Dumbledore shook his head slightly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Draco Malfoy was lounging in The Common Room, not the Slytherin one, the one that last year he, Hermione, Ron, Harriet, Blaise and Pansy had built halfway between the Slytherin and Gryffindor common rooms. It had remained surprisingly untouched through the Carrow’s occupation of Hogwarts. Blaise and Pansy were cuddled across the room, Blaise had a large bandage across his eyes. Pansy had been helping with the evacuation and mostly escaped unscathed. The door opened and Viktor carried Harriet in, Ron and Hermione trailing behind them. Harriet was sound asleep.

“Portrait wasn’t at the tower, we’re sleeping here.” Hermione said and transfigured a few old desks into beds. She and Ron flopped onto the nearest one curling up around each other. Viktor stepped to the second one and laid Harriet down on it before laying down next to her. She curled up around him still asleep. He smiled at Draco as Pansy snorted and quietly whispered to Blaise what was happening. He laughed too causing Harriet to grumble in her sleep. Draco shook his head but honestly Granger had the right idea. He was too tired to go anywhere. He pointed his wand at the chair he was sitting on and transfigured it into a large plush bed, Pansy followed suite and soon the room was full of quiet snores.

That was until the door burst open. Lights flashed and the figures in the doorway dove out of the way of three different hexes aimed at them from the three Gryffindors in the room who weren’t even half awake.

“Wands down! We come in peace!” The voice of Sirius Black calmed them down as Harriet huffed out a breath and her wand slipped back up her sleeve. She flopped back down onto the bed, snuggling closer to Viktor. Remus Lupin peeked around the door, his hands raised in surrender.

“I told you that would be a bad idea Pads.” Sirius nodded lightly.

“Yes well I had to make sure they were ok!” He insisted as he stepped into the room, waving his wand at the partially destroyed doorway. It repaired itself as Hermione mumbled a sleepy apology and Ron buried his head in her bushy brown hair. Sirius stepped over to the bed where Harriet rested with Viktor. He raised an eyebrow at her.

“Fat Lady wasn’t in her portrait.” She mumbled by way of explanation as she pulled the blanket up around herself. Sirius gently ruffled her hair and smiled at Viktor.

“You doing ok?” Harriet looked around smiling slightly.

“You know I think I am, for the first time in a long time.” Sirius smiled at her and nodded. He looked at Viktor.

“Take good care of her.” Viktor nodded running a hand through Harriet’s hair. They left quietly and the teens dozed for a few more hours. Harriet and Viktor woke first. They didn’t get up though, it was comfortable laying here together knowing that they no longer had to worry about the threat of imminent death hanging over them.

“Have you thought about what you’d like to do now?” He asked softly into the silence. Harriet smiled lightly.

“You know I think I’d really enjoy playing some Quidditch.” Viktor laughed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Years later there was a crowd of thousands gathered to watch as England made their triumphant return to the Quidditch world cup. Screams of excitement filled the air and Harriet couldn’t help but smile. It was good to hear excitement instead of terror in the air. England vs Bulgaria a match that would be talked about through the ages, in no small part due to the fact that the seekers on the teams were married soulmates. It was a close game. In the end though England scraped a victory thanks to their fantastic seeker snatching the snitch by a hair breadth. If Harriet had been a second slower Viktor would have caught it instead but he wasn’t too put out about it. After all she won the cup but he had the better prize as he scooped her up off the field as the fans cheered.

“You are a superb seeker my little lioness.” She laughed pulling him into a kiss as laughter and cheering nearly deafened them.

**Author's Note:**

> Just to be safe I don't own Harry Potter nor do I condone the actions or statements of the original author. 
> 
> The thrilling conclusion to the Seeking series! My soulmate AU!


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